Given its potential but also due to its enormous logistical complexity, we have been contacted since the third edition to develop a multiplatform solution that integrates a large set of modules for direct interaction with participants and members of the organization. Over 3 editions we had the opportunity to further develop the solution, following the growth of the event.
Without going into too much detail, we would like to talk a little about the initiative and how the developments contribute to it.
In previous editions of the event, the teams were found to be very irregular in number of participants, since before the event it was impossible to know exactly which students would participate. The main challenge is thus:
How to guarantee complete teams with participants from different courses, using only real-time information?
It was with this need in mind that the first version of the solution was created, capable of filling the teams as the participants arrived and allocating new mentors wherever necessary. All teams would be complete, even guaranteeing that all participants were from different courses and that none were left out.
Over the next two editions of the event, new features were added to facilitate the event’s logistics, save resources and motivate the participation of new students (for example, introducing the gamification app). The information presented below corresponds to the final product used in the third edition of the event, in 2018.
Integration with the institution's student management platform and creation of teams at check-in.
Daily check-in by reading student cards (for participants and staff).
Booking lunch through a student ID. Independent count of lunches per lunch spot.
Mobile app for participants. Scores based on attendance and responses to challenges.
Forms to be filled in by the jury. Automatic calculation of qualifiers for the final and winners.
Through the app, participants have all the information related to the event in one place: points, team, mentor, volunteer site, campus map, etc.
The app is also used to validate attendance and answer questionnaires to earn points.
ReactJS, for example, allowed the rapid development of a mobile application that does not require installation for use, and can be accessed directly through the device’s browser.
The lumen framework allowed the fast and organized development of the application backend and some of the modules. It already facilitates the safe interaction with the database and the control of access to endpoints, among others, by default.
This project was a great challenge and we took great pleasure from participating. The various editions in which we were invited to collaborate gave us the opportunity to grow the solution, developing it more and more through the feedback received and the new needs of each edition.
We would like to thank the institution that invited us and its services, with whom we had the opportunity to interact during the various editions of the event. They gave us freedom and challenged us to do something that we had never done before. All interactions were of
immeasurable quality, with a comfortable environment always conducive to the creativity of all parties.
We look forward to the opportunity to implement such a solution in another event, which will certainly present other challenges.
AppX revealed creativity and a greater capacity for adaptation and problem solving.
Vanda Simões
Education management services at ISCTE-IUL
LABS LISBOA – INCUBADORA DE INOVAÇÃO
Rua Adriano Correia de Oliveira Nº4A, H4
1600-312 Lisbon
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